ILMINSTER AREA NEWS: £362k funding for Neroche Primary School

NEROCHE Primary School near Ilminster is to receive £362,000 to help towards providing extra early years teaching and childcare facilities.

NEARLY 200 working families across Somerset will have access to an additional 30 hours of free childcare per week as six projects to extend early years provision in the county are given much-needed funding from government including one at Neroche Primary School.

Somerset County Council worked in partnership with six nurseries and pre-schools in Somerset to successfully bid for a combined £1.5million from the Department for Education as part of the Government’s 30 hours free childcare offer.  Somerset County Council is also supporting the projects with nearly £350,000 of capital funds.

The nurseries and pre-schools will now invest in new buildings, convert old buildings and upgrade their facilities, allowing more spaces for the families that decide to take up the 30 hours offer that will be introduced from September 1, 2017.

One of the projects to receive funding is at Neroche Primary School at Broadway near Ilminster. The school is buying a new modular building for the front of the school site to relocate Neroche Pre-School for children aged three and four. This will provide 30 new 30-hour places for the community and will cost a total of £362,123.

Neroche Primary School headteacher Connel Boyle said:  “This news is simply fantastic for news for the Ilminster area and village communities we serve.

“For working parents to be able to access 30 hours free childcare for three and four-year-olds with a qualified teacher at our school will be so beneficial for our community. We have planned for 5 years for this project and for it to be a reality now is so exciting!"

Claire Bowditch, Early Years leader for Neroche School, said: "I cannot wait for the opportunity for Neroche School to build our new nursery. The learning opportunities this will allow us to provide for our community's youngest children will be amazing."

PHOTO – RIGHT: Cllr Frances Nicholson, spokesman for children and families at Somerset County Council.

Cllr Frances Nicholson, the county council’s spokesman for children and families, said: “Many hardworking families find that they struggle with the cost of childcare. The funding we have secured from the Government will ensure that nearly 200 new early years spaces become available, enabling nurseries to offer the new 30 hours of funded childcare to those families.

“I’m pleased that, thanks to our partnership working with nurseries and pre-schools across the county, we are able to help working parents. I am delighted that all six of the bids we put in have been successful.”

Other projects to receive funding are at Taunton, Bridgwater, Wiveliscombe, Norton Fitzwarren and Wellington.

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